At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead service design across major public sector projects, creating user-centred solutions.
- Company: Global organisation committed to design, learning, and progression.
- Benefits: Opportunity to mentor others, work with senior stakeholders, and shape impactful services.
- Other info: Dynamic role with excellent career growth opportunities in a collaborative environment.
- Why this job: Make a visible impact on services used by millions while solving complex problems.
- Qualifications: Strong service design experience and ability to lead multidisciplinary teams.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 68205 £ per year.
If you’re an experienced Service Designer ready to lead complex, high-impact work and shape services used by millions of people, this is a role worth exploring. We’re looking for a Lead Service Designer to drive experience design across major public sector transformation programmes — bringing together research, strategy, systems thinking and service design leadership to create services that are simpler, smarter and more human. You should apply if you’re excited by visible impact, complex problem-solving and the opportunity to lead design direction on meaningful programmes.
You’ll work with senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams, shape strategy through delivery, mentor others and help strengthen design capability within a global organisation that invests in design, learning and progression.
What you’ll be doing
- Lead service design activity across discovery, alpha, beta and live phases, helping clients understand user needs, navigate complexity and deliver services that work better for everyone.
- Lead co-creation workshops with senior stakeholders, users and multidisciplinary teams to shape practical, user-centred solutions.
- Own and develop customer journey maps, service blueprints and service visions that identify pain points, opportunities and future-state experiences.
- Use research, insight, data and service design methods to inform strategic product and service direction.
- Work closely with product, research, content, technology and delivery teams in agile environments to turn strategy into measurable service outcomes.
- Influence client discussions, challenge assumptions constructively and bring clarity to complex service problems.
- Mentor designers, support design quality and help build a positive, collaborative design culture through shared methods, critique and best practice.
What you’ll bring
- Strong Service Design experience gained in consultancy, agency or client-side environments, ideally with experience leading workstreams or projects.
- Experience working to GDS standards.
- Proven experience designing end-to-end services across digital and non-digital channels, with the ability to connect user needs, policy, operations and technology.
- Confidence facilitating complex workshops, influencing senior stakeholders and aligning multidisciplinary teams around a shared service vision.
- Experience turning research, insight, data and business needs into clear strategic recommendations and practical service improvements.
- Strong knowledge of journey mapping, service blueprinting, systems thinking, prototyping, usability and accessibility principles.
- Comfort working in agile delivery environments with designers, researchers, product teams, delivery managers, business analysts and developers.
- A strong portfolio with case studies that show your leadership, design thinking, decision-making and impact.
- Experience with tools such as Figma, Miro, Sketch, Adobe XD, Axure or similar.
Lead Service Designer in London employer: Cognizant
Join a forward-thinking organisation that prioritises design and innovation, where as a Lead Service Designer, you will have the opportunity to lead transformative public sector projects that impact millions. Our collaborative work culture fosters mentorship and professional growth, ensuring you can thrive while shaping user-centred services. With a commitment to continuous learning and a supportive environment, this role offers a unique chance to make a meaningful difference in service design.
